KUALA LUMPUR: Jalan Masjid India here is bustling with activities again as visitors start to throng the popular street which is fully operational on Sunday (Sept 1) after the sinkhole incident on Aug 23.
Bernama's survey found that a row of shops facing the incident location began to open after some of them were closed during the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the Indian woman who fell into an eight-metre deep pit following a sinkhole incident on Jalan Masjid India.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that the SAR operation to locate Vijayalaksmi, 48, was called off after taking into account safety issues and the risk to SAR team members as well as the safety of the area around the incident site.
An employee at a jewellery store, Ibrahim said that during the nine days of SAR, there were hardly any visitors.
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"On the first day of the incident, the shop was closed. After a few days, the shop reopened, but the number of visitors dropped drastically.
"It can be said that we lost about 80 per cent of shoppers. After this SAR, I hope people would come again," he told Bernama.
Visitor, Mohd Azmi Halim, 43, hopes that the restoration of Jalan Masjid India can be done as soon as possible because this route is a focus area for tourists from home and abroad.
"People always come here. Affordable items. When this incident happened, people are afraid to come. When the road is fully restored, I think shoppers will return in droves," he said.
A security guard at Wisma Yakin, Juinon Masdin, 48 said he hoped that the party responsible would always monitor the situation on the road following the incident, especially during heavy rain.
ALSO READ: SAR op called off after nine days
"For us, the security here will monitor at all times to maintain the safety of traders and visitors to this guesthouse," he said.
A visitor from Sabah, Elmia Kiramon, 55, said that although he was a little worried about the incident, he was confident about the level of security in the area.
"I see that the police have closed the area (the location of the incident) and we as visitors do not go there (sinkhole location)," said Elmia who has been traveling here for the past two weeks and has visited Jalan Masjid India twice to shop.
Clothing stall worker, Nora Amrizal, 36, also hopes that the authorities will always conduct checks on the said street for the safety of traders and visitors.
Sh said traders would suffer losses if the public felt the location was unsafe to visit following the sinkhole incident. - Bernama
